Emergency-department started mobile phone program to improve high blood pressure care
Reach Out 2: Randomized Clinical Trial of Emergency Department-Initiated Hypertension Mobile Health Intervention Connecting Multiple HealthSystems
It tests whether a phone-based program begun during an emergency department visit can help Black and low-income adults lower and manage high blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238927 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have high blood pressure and visit a participating emergency department, you could be enrolled and offered a mobile health program that sends messages, medication reminders, and helps arrange follow-up care. Participants are randomly assigned to receive the phone-based intervention or usual care, and their blood pressure and care access are tracked over time. The program is designed to connect patients across multiple health systems, including safety-net hospitals, to improve medication use and clinic follow-up. The team will compare blood pressure changes and care engagement between groups to see whether the mobile approach helps.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with high blood pressure who visit a participating safety-net emergency department, especially Black or low-income patients who use or can use a mobile phone.
Not a fit: People without hypertension, those who cannot or will not use a mobile phone, or those already well controlled on blood pressure treatment are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help people lower their blood pressure and make it easier to get medicines and follow-up care after an ED visit.
How similar studies have performed: A prior Reach Out 1 effort with about 500 mostly Black participants showed a large average drop in systolic blood pressure but lacked a control group, so results were promising but not definitive.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Skolarus, Lesli Elizabeth — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Skolarus, Lesli Elizabeth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.